Trust in a Hobbit
by summerrrain
Summary: A series of Merry and Pippin stories. Set during all three books, not in any chronological order. Reviews are appreciated!
1. Chapter 1

The Fellowship rests for the night while traveling south, Merry wondering if he'll always be able to protect his cousin Pippin. Mostly movieverse, set during the Fellowship of the Ring.

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It was another cold night for the Fellowship as they traveled south. They had been traveling for the past month now, already weary of traveling with the constant fear of being found by the enemy. Gandalf led the Fellowship to a small clearing near a patch of woods, announcing that they would be resting there for the night.

Frodo and Sam sat down on their packs, rolling out small blankets as Aragorn started a fire with the help of Legolas as he collected logs. Gimli looked for food throughout Aragorn's pack, grumbling under his breath good-naturedly about the cold as Boromir came from the patch of trees with logs in his hands for the fire. Gandalf looked out on the horizon, the sun beginning to set low in the colorful sky, the stars beginning to shine up ahead.

"Pip, that's mine-" the wizard heard from near the building fire. He turned, his mouth curving up in amusement as he saw Meriadoc Brandybuck standing with his arms crossed above Peregrin Took, looking at him with frustration as the young hobbit held a mushroom in his small hands.

"It is not, Merry- I found it on my own, before we left the Shire- I had found it in my pocket just yesterday-" Pippin retorted defensively, standing up from his place kneeling on the ground as Merry narrowed his eyes.

"You have not, Pip- I would know. You would've eaten it as soon as you found it if you were telling the truth." Merry said, reaching for the mushroom in Pippin's hand.

"Merry! We can share it!" Pippin nearly shouted as his cousin struggled to grasp the beaten looking mushroom.

"That's what you always say! Yet I never seem to get my share!" Merry exclaimed as he tackled Pippin to the ground, the other members of the Fellowship turning their heads as Pippin let out a shout.

"We can share it!" Pippin repeated in a high-pitched voice as Merry reached down to his stomach and began to tickle him, uncontrollable giggles coming from the young Took. Aragorn and Legolas exchanged amused smiles as Boromir let out a laugh, sounding loud and amused compared to Frodo and Sam's quiet chuckles.

More desperate giggles came from Pippin's mouth as Merry began to laugh as well, the mushroom falling into his hands as Pippin writhed and squirmed, trying frantically to get Merry off of him.

"Ah! I've got it now!" Merry said triumphantly, standing up and ruffling Pippin's auburn curls, holding the mushroom high.

Pippin gasped for air, breathless giggles coming out of his mouth as he sat up shakily.

"You call that fair, Merry? You hardly gave me a chance to put up a decent fight!" the young hobbit said brightly as his cousin extended an arm, helping him stand up.

"I would've if the mushroom hadn't been mine-" Merry retorted with a grin as Pippin giggled.

"Oh, you know me too well- I am sorry for stealing it from you-" Pippin sighed, a smile still on his face as Merry grinned, looking down at the now crushed mushroom.

"It's no good now, Pip- We shall find some more on this journey, I promise you-" Merry said, his voice turning quiet as he realized that this was only the beginning of the long journey that lay ahead.

"I trust you, Merry-" Pippin said honestly as Merry suddenly pulled Pippin close, embracing him tightly. Pippin blinked, stiff for a moment until he held his older cousin as tightly as he was holding him, wondering what was the reason for the sudden embrace.

The rest of the Fellowship exchanged nervous and worried looks as tears suddenly burned at Merry's eyes as he leaned his chin on his younger cousin's shoulder.

"Merry? Merry- What's wrong?" Pippin asked softly, his bright green eyes wide as Merry began to tremble, his hand dropping to his side and reaching for Pippin's.

"Pip- Pip, you shouldn't trust me-" Merry said, his voice wavering as Frodo and Sam spoke quietly to one another. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli sat near the building fire, looking at each other with concerned expressions at listening to the two small hobbits. Boromir sat next to Gandalf, speaking softly to him, glancing at the two every few moments.

"Why, Merry?" Pippin whispered, pulling back slightly and looking him in the eyes, "Why?"

"It is my fault that you're here, Pippin- We might never see home again. We don't know what's coming-" Merry forced out, his voice shaking as his memories sifted back to the ring wraiths and the hushed voices at the council of Elrond, speaking of evils in Mordor that hadn't even reached the Shire.

"Don't say that, Merry- We shall see the Shire again." Pippin whispered softly, brushing a golden brown curl away from the other hobbit's forehead as Merry slowly nodded, blinking his tears away.

"We shall, Pip, we shall." Merry said quietly, making himself promise to protect his younger cousin through whatever they would face throughout this long journey, no matter what it took. He took a deep breath and kissed the top of his small cousin's head, pulling away and gesturing towards the fire where their companions were sitting.

"Shall we?" he asked, forcing a shaky smile as Pippin nodded, the two walking towards the warm fire as Aragorn looked up, giving them a soft smile and moving over to give them room to sit against the large log. Gandalf and Boromir joined them shortly after, both relieved to see Merry and Pippin telling a story of their childhood with bright smiles, Frodo and Sam occasionally adding things as the rest of the Fellowship laughed and enjoyed themselves, forgetting about their mission and quest for one night until exhaustion came.

Merry and Pippin lay down next to each other as Aragorn and Legolas kept watch, Boromir spreading his long coat over the two hobbits as they shivered in the dark. They both thanked the Gondorian, Merry falling asleep shortly after, his head resting on Pippin's shoulder. Pippin looked over at his older cousin, running a hand through his golden brown curls as he shut his eyes slowly.

"I will always trust you, Merry- Always-" Pippin murmured as he fell asleep, the stars shining brightly overhead as the Fellowship rested for another night, another day of the quest ahead of them.

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Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed!

Reviews are appreciated!


	2. Chapter 2

This is sort of an AU if Pippin was taken away by the Orcs before seeing Boromir died, and didn't know. This is sort of both movie and bookverse, set during the book when Merry and Pippin find their way to Fangorn Forest before they meet Treebeard.

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Peregrin Took stumbled over a root in the Fangorn forest, his older cousin Meriadoc Brandybuck quickly grabbing his arm and steadying him, a worried look on his weary face.

"Careful, Pip- We've made it this far-" Merry said quietly as Pippin looked up at him with an expression that he couldn't read.

"I know, Merry." The small hobbit whispered, painful memories of the Orc's abuse still in his mind as Merry kept his hand on his cousin's arm, leading him through a safe path in the forest that they had heard frightful stories about. Pippin was just relieved that both of them were safe, all though Merry looked more beaten and weary than Pippin had ever seen him in his whole life.

"Don't loose hope, Pip- We shall make our way through this forest and live to see the other side-" Merry said quietly, and Pippin nodded tiredly, feeling as if the other hobbit could read his mind.

"I know that, Merry. I just wish that Strider or Boromir were here- Or anyone else at that." Pippin said quietly, his voice slightly shaking. Merry stiffened at the mention of Boromir and he looked at the ground of the dark forest, not knowing if Pippin knew or not of the Gondorian's fate. He assumed his younger cousin didn't by the way he spoke.

"Yes, Pippin. I wish that too." Merry said, his voice hollow and suddenly full of sadness without meaning too as they struggled to walk through the forest on wobbly feet, still shaken from the treatment from the Orcs.

"Merry? What is the matter?" Pippin asked quietly, a concerned frown on his face as he stopped walking, putting a hand on Merry's arm lightly.

"Nothing, Pip- Don't worry." Merry said, clearing his throat and pushing back the tears that were burning at his eyes. Pippin's eyes suddenly widened as his exhausted mind processed his statement and Merry's reaction.

"Merry- Strider and Boromir, and the others- They're all fine? I don't remember-" Pippin said, breaking off in frustration as he searched his mind for answers as Merry slowly turned towards him.

"Strider, and the others- They're all fine as far as I can tell." Merry said, his voice a low, pained whisper, and suddenly Pippin's heart was full with fear and sorrow.

"Boromir?" he questioned, his voice breaking off as his hands started to shake. Loosing Gandalf was bad enough in Moira, especially since Pippin felt that he was at fault, his nightmares filled with the echoing sound of the object that had fallen into the hole, alerting the Orcs and other creatures to their presence.

Now as Merry slowly nodded, regrets ran through Pippin's mind as he felt his legs give out from underneath him, Merry holding him up as he brought him into a tight embrace.

"Pip, it's not your fault- It's not-" Merry whispered as he stroked Pippin's auburn curls gently, as his cousin let out a pained sob.

"Everything- Always- Gandalf- Boromir-" Pippin cried out shakily, the thoughts in his mind racing as he let out another anguished sob as he held tighter onto his worn friend as he thought of the Gondorian who was always so kind and protective of them.

"No, Pip- You saved us both back there- If you hadn't cut your ropes, we wouldn't have gotten away-" Merry reasoned gently, his voice hoarse as he held Pippin tightly.

"If I had never come like Elrond had said, then Gandalf and Boromir would be alive and well-" Pippin said sorrowfully, tears rolling down his dirty cheeks, not seeming to hear what Merry had just told him as he let out another sob.

Merry bit his lip nervously and held his trembling cousin close, realizing as he looked around that Pippin was all he had, and he was all that Pippin had. He held the small hobbit closer at this thought, forcing himself to strong for Pippin.

"We've got to stay together, Pip- No matter what happens, no matter what we have seen- I'm going to take care of you-" Merry whispered quietly, closing his eyes against Pippin's curls as he rocked him back and forth gently. Pippin pulled away slightly, his now dull green eyes filled with pain.

"When will this be over, Merry? When will we see Frodo and Sam again? When will we see Strider, Legolas, and Gimli again? I fear I will see Gandalf and Boromir before I see anyone else again-" Pippin said tearfully, as Merry shook his head firmly, fear running through his veins at seeing his normally bright and happy cousin like this.

"We shall live to see the light of day again- We will see the Fellowship again- We will see brighter times, Pippin. _Trust _me-" Merry whispered in an almost frantic voice, his tone firm. Pippin looked at him for a moment, tears slowly spilling over his eyes as he threw his arms around Merry, a sob building up in his throat.

"I'm- sorry- Merry- You're always- there for me- I can never be there for you-" Pippin struggled to say shakily through his sobs, holding onto the other hobbit tightly for a few moments until Merry pulled away gently, looking Pippin in the eyes.

"You have always been there for me, Pip- Whether you know it or not." Merry said in a quiet voice, "And I will always be there for you, whether I know it or not-"

Pippin nodded slowly, wiping his tears away with his free hand, looking up at Merry.

"I know, Merry. I know." Pippin said quietly, holding his cousin's hand tightly as they began to walk again through the dark Fangorn Forest, not knowing that they would both soon be small stones, starting an avalanche of the fall of Isenguard.

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Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed!

Reviews are appreciated!


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